Earl Hill Walking Track

Starting from the car park off Reed Road, Cairns, this track takes you to the summit of Earl Hill via the Earl Hill Walking Track. Expect to be welcomed by the remarkable views over the coastline as you feel the pleasant ocean breeze on your face. There are also great south-easterly views of the mountains near Cairns. The track was renewed and made less steep in early 2019, so it can make for a great first hike. As a plus, you can bring your dog with you, provided you keep him/her on a leash. Refuel at the drinking fountain next to a dog water bowl before going up. An insect repellant may save you from the ‘mozzies’(Australian slang for mosquitos) in summer. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

Downloads GPX PDF

Safer Bushwalks Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.

Getting There Transport options and directions

Start	(-16.8009622,145.7060317)
Mode	Car
Directions	From Captain Cook Highway, 44 Turn on to Reed Road then drive for 275 m At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Reed Road and drive for another 340 m At roundabout, take exit 2 onto Reed Road and drive for another 1.2 km Turn left and drive for another 170 m

Track Notes Turn by turn instructions & maps

Getting started
From the car park off Reed Road, head towards Roberts Drive along the concrete path. At the end of the car park, use the metal crossing to get to the footpath on the side of Roberts Drive. Turn left and head towards the bridge along the concrete footpath. Pass over the bridge and stay on the footpath as it veers left. Pass over another bridge, then turn right at the intersection to head along Flagship Drive. Veer left shortly after joining the road and pass through the bollard. Head along the formed walking track(Earl Hill Walking Track) as you pass by an informative signpost to your left. Stay on the track as it meanders up the hill to continue along Earl Hill Walking Track.....

Turn map	Directions & comments
	Start.
	After another 20 m turn left, to head along Roberts Drive. After another 8 m cross the bridge (about 35 m long) After another 240 m cross the bridge (about 45 m long)
	After another 45 m (at the intersection of Flagship Drive & Roberts Drive) turn right, to head along Flagship Drive (a residential road).
	After another 15 m (at the intersection of Flagship Drive & Earl Hill Walking Track) turn left, to head along Earl Hill Walking Track (a walking track). After another 35 m pass the "Water fountain" (15 m on your left). After another 950 m pass the "Earl Hill" (9 m on your left).
	Continue another 20 m to find the end. Then turn around here and retrace the main route for 1.4 km to get back to the start. A viewpoint.

Terrain Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Earl Hill Walking Track

Grading

	Class 3/6 Moderate track
Length	2.9 km
Time	1 h 15 min to 1 h 45 min

Quality of track	Clear and well formed track or trail (2/6)
Gradient	Short steep hills (3/6)
Signage	Clearly signposted (1/6)
Infrastructure	Generally useful facilities (such as fenced cliffs and seats) (2/6)
Experience Required	No experience required (2/6)
Weather	Weather generally has little impact on safety (1/6)

Weather & Alerts Check forecasts & closures
Weather Forecast
- Cairns Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue
  
  Tuesday 10 September
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers near the coast, slight chance elsewhere. Winds east to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h.
  
  Wednesday 11 September
  
  21°C → 29°C
  Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 3mm
  
  Partly cloudy. High chance of showers near the coast, medium chance elsewhere. Winds east to southeasterly 25 to 35 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 14 and 20 with daytime temperatures reaching 23 to 30.
  
  Fire Danger Rating: Moderate
  
  UV Alert: Sun protection 8:30am to 3:50pm, UV Index predicted to reach 12 [Extreme]
  
  Thursday 12 September
  
  21°C → 29°C
  Possible early shower.
  40% chance of rain
  0 → 1mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers near the coast, slight chance elsewhere. Winds east to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 13 and 20 with daytime temperatures reaching 23 to 29.
  
  Friday 13 September
  
  20°C → 29°C
  Partly cloudy.
  10% chance of rain
  
  Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower along the coastal fringe in the evening. Near zero chance of rain elsewhere. Winds east to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 12 and 20 with daytime temperatures reaching 24 to 29.
  
  Saturday 14 September
  
  21°C → 29°C
  Shower or two.
  60% chance of rain
  0 → 4mm
  
  Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds east to southeasterly 25 to 40 km/h. Overnight temperatures falling to between 14 and 20 with daytime temperatures reaching 22 to 29.
  
  Sunday 15 September
  
  21°C → 27°C
  Shower or two.
  70% chance of rain
  0 → 5mm
  
  Shower or two.
  
  Monday 16 September
  
  21°C → 28°C
  Showers increasing.
  80% chance of rain
  0 → 6mm
  
  Showers increasing.
  
  Tuesday 17 September
  
  21°C → 28°C
  Showers increasing.
  80% chance of rain
  1 → 10mm
  
  Showers increasing.
  
  Forecast data thanks to © Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
Alerts
- Earl Hill Conservation Park alerts
  Temporary walking track closures due to impacts from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper: Earl Hill Conservation Park
  Due to impacts from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper, some walking tracks at Earl Hill Conservation Park remain closed due to landslips. See below for more information on Earl Hill Conservation Park walking tracks. Affected parks: Earl Hill Conservation Park
  
  Alert kindly provided by © Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service

Weather Forecast

Alerts